Carpet

[BeautifulMadness]

i have the messiest,dirtest carpet due to my kidlets....any ideas on how to get stains out without me getting someone to do it

[Bathsheba]

We bought a Vax 16 years ago. Means we can spot clean really well. Highly recommended. it means that most of the water in the underlay gets sucked up and the "tide" mark that manual spot cleaning can leave is reduced. otherwise use a foam cleaner and dry the area by standing on an old towel until the area is almost dry. i find the powder sprinkle on cleaners are a rip off BTW they don't work.

[Kazbah]

You can start by sprinkling with bicarb soda and letting it work for a little. You can also hire a cleaner from woolies etc and they can be a good start.

[Little Chicken]

I found preen carpet cleaner works really well. Got a lot of stains out of our rug

[~Lashes~]

i pinch df's car upholstry foam, works great for small spots. spray and scrub with the brush thing on the lid, then scrub off with a cloth, not sure how you would go doing a large area, might take a long time!

[Boo Boo]

I know you said you didn't want to get someone in, but if it is a large area it may be a hard job....on alot of shopadockets there is Electrodry - three rooms for such and such....which sometimes works out more reasonable than buying the products and all the hard work you put into it. So I guess you could nominate your three dirtiest rooms and just get them to do that, it does come up really well. xxxx

[Lulu]

Bath - is the vax only for wet/spot cleaning?

[helle]

i pinch df's car upholstry foam, works great for small spots. spray and scrub with the brush thing on the lid, then scrub off with a cloth, not sure how you would go doing a large area, might take a long time!

I was gonna suggest that. I use it when the dog tracks stuff thru our carpet. Works great!

[Little Chicken]

Bath - is the vax only for wet/spot cleaning?

My mum has a vax and I have cleaned the entire lounge room carpet with it. Might take a bit of product though

[Bathsheba]

Our Vax is for normal vacuuming or wet shampooing.... OR for sucking up a laundry overflow situation which seems to happen to me at least once a year!

[Lulu]

*adds that to the wishlist.

I'm getting carpet put down in the bedrooms this Friday. I ended up going with a Champagne kinda colour, and I KNOW that is sooo baaaad with kids...it's just all the other colours were gross. Better protect the investment methinks

[Bathsheba]

Those old timers in the 1950's knew a thing or two when it came to family-friendly carpet. Those floral designs hid a multitude of sins... I mean stains. There is a pinkish red rose design on a pale grey background that I covet. You've got everything from wine stains to shoe polish camouflaged in that!

Vax. Yep, worth the outlay. The shampooing function requires a bit of fussing around attaching the clear tubing etc and it's slower than the professional guys pace... but it's done the trick for us.

[~Hestia~]

Those old timers in the 1950's knew a thing or two when it came to family-friendly carpet. Those floral designs hid a multitude of sins... I mean stains. There is a pinkish red rose design on a pale grey background that I covet. You've got everything from wine stains to shoe polish camouflaged in that!

You just described the carpet we replaced last year! You're right - hid much more than it's lovely latte replacement

[Bathsheba]

My dream is to build a house according to my floor plans but sourcing second hand materials... I'll be tracking down and LAYING some of that 1950s carpet LOL I am so sick of dealing with the modern "blank canvas" in carpet. Plus those old wool carpets didn't show traffic foot prints or furniture impressions as readily. As someone who loves to re-arrange furniture this is a real bonus! (sorry for being a thread hi-jacker!)

[~clover~]

I use mum's vax every time I move rather than the pro's. It works great. I do mine every 6 - 12 months weather moving or not.
I don't waste money on the exxy stuff. There's plenty around the house to try. Last time I used a mix of disinfectant, d/w liquid & cheap conditioner.
I spot clean first. Depending on the stain I use whatever gets it out. Use the vax to go over it, then do all the carpet after. Just don't use shampoo or anything that will foam too much.
Takes about a day to do my loungeroom floor properly. (It smelt like pee last time! was feral!)
I want one...one day!

You could hire the woollies rug doctor or what ever it is too. I think its about $40 for 24 hours?

[Lulu]

Hey Bath - this carpet is made out of CORN!!!!!!

And when you do build that house, I'll let you in on my NEW favourite second hand yard...I could have drooled there for HOURS.

[helle]

Those old timers in the 1950's knew a thing or two when it came to family-friendly carpet. Those floral designs hid a multitude of sins... I mean stains. There is a pinkish red rose design on a pale grey background that I covet. You've got everything from wine stains to shoe polish camouflaged in that!

Vax. Yep, worth the outlay. The shampooing function requires a bit of fussing around attaching the clear tubing etc and it's slower than the professional guys pace... but it's done the trick for us.

That carpet you speak of... We have some of that. We used it to line the back of DHs ute for our camping trips! very hardy stuff!

[Bathsheba]

oooh this is torture! I hope one day they decide to reproduce those old designs... and maintain the quality... because yes! It is hardy! My PIL raised 5 kids on it and it still looked as good as the day it was laid 55 years later! They did how ever go through a phase of using those ugly clear plastic hall runner things over the top of it... this did help preserve it.